When you hear about the benefits of folic acid, you may think about your doctor or nutritionist mentioning it. You may also remember needing it if you are a woman who has been pregnant.
Cancer patients are also informed about the benefits of folic acid.
The problem is people tend to follow what they are told to do by doctors or nutritionists, without necessarily asking why they need it or why they are taking it.
Here are the benefits of folic acid in your diet along with a few key points about each benefit.
Neurological Support
As we get older, neurological support becomes increasingly important.
This is especially true for people who have Alzheimer’s in their family or may be at risk for other reasons.
Studies have shown that elderly who develop Alzheimer’s have the lowest rate of folate or folic acid in their system.
By increasing your folic acid early on, you can maintain a high level throughout your lifetime.
If your levels begin to drop, or you notice some memory issues, your doctor can check and see if your folic acid levels have dropped.
You do need to have regular check-ups in order to ensure what your normal levels are or should be.
The, when drops occur your folic acid intake can be increased and you’ll get the full benefit of the neurological support and reduction in Alzheimer’s risk.
Benefits of Folic Acid on Prenatal Mood Health
One of the leading complaints of expectant mothers is their mood health and mood swings.
Unfortunately, when a woman is pregnant the medications they can take for mood swings and mild mood issues are limited.
One thing they can do is increase the folic acid in their system.
This increase will not only help with the mood swings in the mother and help maintain them, it will help fetus development.
This can also be used in women who have had children or may be facing menopause where mood swings can become an issue.
Colon Health and Digestion
Everyone has an issue with digestion and their colon at some point in their life.
It can be something as mild as general constipation or it can be as massive as impaction.
One way you can reduce both of these, and maintain colon health is to introduce folic acid.
One of the benefits of folic acid is that it helps to clear toxins from the body, move them through the digestive tract, and get them out of the system.
It also helps to create new cells in the body where old cells have been degraded or died from the colon issues you may be having.
These are only a few of the key benefits of folic acid. If you have certain health issues, folic acid may offer even more benefits.
Check with your doctor to determine what amount of folic acid you should be getting each day is and any suggestions they may have for your specific needs.
5 Ways to Get Folic Acid Into Your Diet With Food
You may have heard a doctor or nutritionist state that you needed folic acid in your diet.
Folic acid is used for anemia, falls under the B vitamin category, and can be used to help create new cells in the body which is ideal for cancer patients or people who have a history of cancer in their families.
If you are in a situation where you need to boost your diet with folic acid, there are 5 ways to get folic acid into your diet with food.
1. Benefits of Folic Acid From Smoothies
Smoothies are a great way to get in your folic acid when you are busy in the mornings or lunch.
They are quick, are carried by most health stores in the deli, or can be purchased ready made at your local grocery store.
Remember, smoothies do not have to contain dairy products.
You can use soft fruits and vegetables and mix them into a puree to get the consistency you want.
If you are buying your smoothie, make sure it contains leafy greens or citrus fruits.
In fact, a quick mango and banana smoothie may be ideal to meet all your needs.
2. Juices
Some people just do not care for the consistency of a smoothie.
If this sounds like you, but you do not want to eat a full meal or snack to get the benefits of folic acid, consider juicing.
Juicing is easy to do with a simple juicer at home. You can also make it ahead of time if it works best for you.
Juicing does remove the pulp of the fruits and vegetables, so you may want to consider getting fiber from another source.
Make sure you are choosing options that will juice easily like apples and citrus fruits. You can also add greens to boost the benefits of folic acid.
3. Benefits of Folic Acid in a Vegan Meal
One vegan meal a day is a motto some people are taking on.
By having just one vegan meal a day, you can boost your folic acid intake by combining multiple superfoods.
You do not have to have just a salad either.
Consider black bean burgers with spinach instead of lettuce and avocado instead of mayonnaise. This super simple burger option can give you fiber, all the benefits of folic acid, and iron all in one simple burger meal.
4. Salads
Salads are the ideal way that some people use to boost their folic acid intake. You can load up on superfoods and boost the overall salad.
What some people do not think of is that you can add even more folic acid with salad dressings that contain citrus.
This can give small boost or you could go with a full citrus salad to give you a jolt in one go.
5. Soups
During the winter, many people like soups and stews to keep them going.
You can opt for a blended soup, bean soup, or stew that is loaded with beans and vegetables to give you what you need.
In fact if you like bean soups, you can go with a puree and give yourself several folic acid containing vegetables and beans to make the most out of every bowl.
To ensure you get all the benefits of folic acid, by using all or some of these methods, you can introduce or boost folic acid into your regular diet and meet the needs your doctor or nutritionist has set.
Make sure before you start pushing or boosting folic acid in your diet that you have a set amount of grams or dosage your doctor or nutritionist wants you to have.
This will help you determine which methods are best for your needs and will help you reap the benefits of folic acid in your nutrition.
